The Taylor Builder's Edition 652ce 12-String Acoustic-Electric Guitar in Natural is the brand's 1st 12-string with the Builder's Edition tag! Made with a Maple neck and Maple Back and Sides, perhaps leaning on what many consider to be the most legendary 12 String of all time!
A torrefied Sitka Spruce top acts as the sounding board for this Builder's Editon Guitar. The torrefication process removes moisture, sugars, and impurities that the natural drying process leaves behind. This process essentially ages a piece of wood, making it more dimensionally stable. Learn more about it by reading THIS edition of Matt's Blog.
The back and sides are made from highly figured maple which looks fantastic! One can't ignore the history of the Guild Maple 12 String that we have all loved on so many cherished recordings. Maple produces nicely balanced bass, crisp top-end, and a musical mid-range, perfectly scooped for musicality. The added jingle-jangle of maple is the perfect complement to a 12-string guitar!
The neck is made from Maple which is not only a tone-full choice but also a good choice for some extra stability on a neck with extra tension. 1 and 7/8" nut width is full feeling but manageable. 24 and 7/8" scale length keeps the strings feeling a little slinky which is nice when there are so many of them! A West African Crelicam Ebony Fingerboard with Taylor's Scepter Fingerboard Inlay Pattern.
From the Taylor Website...
The first 12-string entry in our Builder's Edition family of guitars, the Builder's Edition 652ce sports Big Leaf maple back and sides that deliver a focused, player-reflective sound that showcases your individual technique. Torrefied Sitka spruce for the top brings an aged-in warmth and sweetness with V-Class bracing to dial up the volume and sustain. The reverse-strung setup (with the heavier string of each pair on top) generates more tonal heft in this Grand Concert's rich octave shimmer, and other Builder's Edition features include a beveled armrest, and cutaway, chamfered body edges, a Silent Satin finish, and a smooth Curve Wing bridge. The Builder's Edition 652ce ships with ES2 electronics and a deluxe hardshell case.
